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Police expenditures called into question


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#1 Mike K.

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Posted 11 October 2007 - 07:40 AM

A-Channel reported last night that a local lawyer has filed freedom of information requests about police expenditures, particularly those of the chief Paul Battershill, on behalf of an unnamed client. His request, however, was challenged by lawyers representing either the city or the police force (can't quite recall). Anyhow, the City held an emergency meeting last night to address the FOI request and how they should react.

The lawyer who made the request alleges that there may be inappropriate spending taking place within the department.

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#2 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 11 October 2007 - 09:47 AM

A-Channel reported last night that a local lawyer has filed freedom of information requests about police expenditures, particularly those of the chief Paul Battershill, on behalf of an unnamed client. His request, however, was challenged by lawyers representing either the city or the police force (can't quite recall). Anyhow, the City held an emergency meeting last night to address the FOI request and how they should react.

The lawyer who made the request alleges that there may be inappropriate spending taking place within the department.


Battershill has been put on leave..

Victoria police chief put on leave after document leaked: Mayor (0) [Back]Next >
(BC News) Thursday, 11 October 2007, 10:31 PST

VICTORIA - Victoria's police chief has been put on administrative leave after a sensitive legal document was leaked to the media.

Mayor Alan Lowe confirmed the police board held an eight-hour meeting to discuss whether the board should take action against Police Chief Paul Battershill.

Battershill has been placed on paid leave and was informed of the board's decision.

He is unavailable for comment because he is out of the province on business.

Lowe said the action was not taken lightly, but he says the board had to act on the document once they saw and heard about it

He refuses to say what was in the document or why it would set off this type of action.

Battershill is considered well-respected in policing circles and has been asked to lead several high-profile inquiries, including one into police use of Tasers.



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#3 Holden West

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Posted 11 October 2007 - 09:53 AM

CBC talks to the lawyer making the allegation: (RealAudio)

http://www.cbc.ca/on... ... LRONEY.ram
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#4 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 11 October 2007 - 09:36 PM

Lowe named Victoria's Deputy Chief Bill Naughton acting police chief until the conclusion of Battershill's review.

"It's not up to me to ask the chief to step down. The chief will have to make a decision in the future on what he decides," Lowe said.

CTV's Jim Beatty reported that Battershill has one week to challenge the allegations or resign his position.


Victoria police chief suspended with pay
Updated Thu. Oct. 11 2007 9:52 PM ET

CTV.ca News Staff

The mayor of Victoria, B.C., announced Thursday that the chief of police had been removed from his position until allegations of misconduct could be investigated.

"Police Chief Paul Battershill is on administrative leave effective immediately to enable the police board to review and respond to the issues that have been brought to our attention," Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe said in a statement released Thursday.

Battershill was suspended with pay after an emergency police board meeting was called late Wednesday to discuss a letter that alleged misconduct. Officials have not officially said what the allegations against him are.

"It's a personnel issue that has come to light which the police board felt that we needed to review. Obviously we needed to give the chief time as well to review the allegations and seek further direction," Lowe told reporters.

The suspension was believed to be sparked by Freedom of Information requests made by lawyer David Mulroney.

Mulroney told CTV News the requests were made for a client concerned about the quality of policing in Victoria's downtown.

"My client disagrees with some of the allocation of resources that has been going on and feels that we haven't had as good of policing as we could have," Mulroney told CTV News. "We have no specific knowledge of impropriety and therefore it would not be fair to characterize it as anything other than fishing."

Mulroney made two related Freedom of Information requests in September, both focused on Battershill's expense accounts and details about personnel dismissals.

The first request asked for information on the salary, benefits and employment-related expenses of senior personnel at the Victoria Police Department.

It also asked for the chief's records of expense dating back to 2004.

The second request asked for all records of any civilian and regular personnel dismissed without cause from the Victoria Police Department since 2004.

As well, information on a review into taser use done by Battershill was requested.

Mulroney also sought information surrounding Battershill's role overseeing the investigation of Const. Lisa Alford, of the West Vancouver Police Department.

Alford pleaded guilty to drunk driving in November 2005, after rear-ending a car on her way home from a drinking party held at her police station.

She retained her position with the police, but temporarily lost her licence and paid a $600 fine.

Mulroney said a letter he wrote to the law firm that represents the Victoria Police Department, pointing out the conflict of interest surrounding the police chief handling freedom of information requests for his own documents, was dismissed.

Lowe named Victoria's Deputy Chief Bill Naughton acting police chief until the conclusion of Battershill's review.

"It's not up to me to ask the chief to step down. The chief will have to make a decision in the future on what he decides," Lowe said.

CTV's Jim Beatty reported that Battershill has one week to challenge the allegations or resign his position.
<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#5 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 13 October 2007 - 08:38 AM

Break-in at law office that worked with Victoria police chief
Louise Dickson, Times Colonist
Published: Saturday, October 13, 2007
Victoria Mayor Alan Lowe has asked Saanich police to investigate a burglary Thursday night at the corporate law offices of Heenan Blaikie, even though it's in Victoria's jurisdiction.

Heenan Blaikie is the law firm hired by Victoria police Chief Paul Battershill to challenge Freedom of Information requests about his expense accounts and employees dismissed without cause, which Lowe called "a really weird coincidence."

The break-in occurred one day after Battershill was placed on administrative leave with pay while his police board reviews allegations against him. Lowe has refused to say what the allegations are, other than indicating it is a personnel issue.

"I don't know if the break-in is related to whatever has happened in the past few days," Lowe said yesterday. "I can't read anything into it."

The Victoria law offices of Heenan Blaikie are located on the fifth floor of St. Andrew's Square in downtown Victoria.

Lowe, who is also chairman of the police board, said he believed there are very few break-ins at law firms in Class A buildings.

"It is of concern," he said.

On Wednesday evening, Lowe convened an emergency meeting of the police board while Battershill was in Halifax attending a conference on civilian oversight of police. During the seven-hour meeting, inspectors were called to answer questions.

One of the issues at Wednesday's meeting was an Oct. 9 letter from Victoria lawyer David Mulroney to Heenan Blaikie. The letter concerns three Freedom of Information requests filed with the police department in September.

Mulroney, a former federal Liberal candidate, said he filed the requests on behalf of a client who is concerned about the quality of policing downtown and wanted to see if officers, administrative staff and finances were being managed well by Battershill. Mulroney would not identify his client, but said he was targeting dismissals without cause, employees suspended with pay, the chief's expense accounts and employment contracts of senior personnel.

Mulroney said his requests were initially processed in an appropriate manner by a Freedom of Information officer, but then he received a call from Murray Rankin of Heenan-Blaikie who pointed out problems with his requests.

In his subsequent letter, Mulroney outlined potential conflicts of interest with the law firm's challenge to the FOI requests.

Citing solicitor-client privilege, Rankin said he would not discuss the case.

Rankin did, however, confirm there had been a break-in -- the first ever -- at his office. He refused to say if any sensitive files had been stolen. Heenan Blaikie is one of the leading law firms in the country. Its members include former Prime Minister Jean Chrétien.

Since he became chief in 1999, Battershill's department has handled some high-profile investigations, including the 2003 raid on the legislature.

On Oct. 1, Battershill announced that Ravinder (Rob) Dosanjh had resigned from the department. Dosanjh was convicted of obstructing justice in a case linked to the 2003 raids on the legislature. He was given a three-month conditional sentence for obstruction of justice.

Lowe defended the police board's handling of the situation in Battershill's absence, saying it had to act because the media were on it. They couldn't wait until Battershill returned to Victoria to face the allegations.

"I think we were very fair," said Lowe. "We obviously didn't take our decision lightly. It was a long board meeting. I think Paul probably thinks we have been as fair to him as we could."

B.C.'s Police Complaint Commissioner Dirk Ryneveld was contacted by Lowe Thursday, but his office has not received a formal complaint about Battershill.

"In certain situations, I can order, on my own accord, an investigation if I think it's merited in the public interest," said Ryneveld. "But, of course, I need information and I need to make a decision as to whether the public interest requires an investigation."
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#6 Mike K.

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Posted 13 October 2007 - 09:38 AM

Why is Saanich investigating a Victoria burglary? Does Lowe believe it's Victoria cops that have something to do with this?

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#7 Holden West

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Posted 13 October 2007 - 09:52 AM

This is amazing--Victoria's Watergate.

I bet it's connected to the recently fired cop.
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#8 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 13 October 2007 - 09:53 AM

Why is Saanich investigating a Victoria burglary? Does Lowe believe it's Victoria cops that have something to do with this?


I think its a good call. As he says, how many break-ins occur in class A offices within a locked building?

The Victoria law offices of Heenan Blaikie are located on the fifth floor of St. Andrew's Square in downtown Victoria.

Lowe, who is also chairman of the police board, said he believed there are very few break-ins at law firms in Class A buildings.

"It is of concern," he said.


<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#9 Baro

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Posted 13 October 2007 - 09:57 AM

Maybe I'm just a police fearing rage against the machine type, but the idea of corruption and illegal spending by the Victoria Police doesn't really surprise me, nor would their attempt to handle the situation by break-ins and even more underhanded or even violent means. I never used to have that annoying angsty irrational "**** the police, man!!" attitude,but I've heard way too many stories about the police in this town. It's pretty sad, but any agency or group when presented power and the right to secrecy will invariably become a den of abuse and corruption.
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#10 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 13 October 2007 - 01:32 PM

Now where's Russ Francis when we need him?
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#11 Mike K.

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Posted 13 October 2007 - 02:07 PM

Good point.

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#12 Ms. B. Havin

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Posted 13 October 2007 - 05:58 PM

"BC Mary," who often comments over on The Tyee, has her own blog, The Legislature Raids[/url:beb7f], and she's putting together some interesting pieces...

Oh, and by the way, I learned something I was clueless about: Brennan Clarke, fired by Black Press for writing about buying cars in the US, wrote an article about this for the Globe & Mail. Good for him!

Here are some bits from BC Mary:

All 3 newspapers in B.C. avoid mentioning the Basi Virk Basi connection. Only The Globe and Mail joins the dots. Why?[/url:beb7f]
.
Vancouver Sun and Victoria Times Colonist ran the same story on the same date with a Louise Dickson byline, about Police Chief Battershill, while The Province ran a shorter version with no byline. Conclusion: all 3 CanWest newspapers in B.C. deliberately and knowingly avoided making any mention of Basi, Virk, Basi. One newspaper and one journalist, Brennan Clarke of Toronto's The Globe and Mail, were the only ones who connected some of the dots on this important B.C. Rail Case. Why is that? - BC Mary.
..................................................................................

LAW ENFORCEMENT:
LAWYER REQUESTED BATTERSHILL'S EXPENSE-ACCOUNT INFORMATION AND REPORTS ON WRONGFUL DISMISSALS

POLICE CHIEF PUT ON LEAVE AMID ALLEGATIONS
Decision was made about Victoria's top officer after a document leaked to the media raised concerns, mayor says

BRENNAN CLARKE

Special to The Globe and Mail - October 12, 2007

VICTORIA -- Victoria Police Chief Paul Battershill has been temporarily removed from his post amid allegations of improper spending and wrongful dismissal.

The Victoria Police Board voted late Wednesday to place Chief Battershill on administrative leave, after a flurry of Freedom of Information requests were made by Victoria lawyer David Mulroney, on behalf of an unnamed client.

Mr. Mulroney confirmed yesterday that his client has asked for Chief Battershill's expense account and credit card information dating back three years, along with internal reports about wrongful dismissals and suspensions without pay. {Snip} ...

It's too soon to say whether the information will trigger a police-board investigation, let alone any criminal probe, Mr. Lowe added.

Chief Battershill was appointed in 1999. His focus on harm reduction and affordable housing in dealing with the city's drug and street crime earned him a reputation as forward-thinking manager. He also displayed a low tolerance for improper conduct in his ranks and launched a number of internal investigations and police-complaint probes.

But the only officer who came close to being dismissed was Constable Ravinder (Rob) Dosanjh, who was convicted of obstruction of justice after wiretaps recorded him advising his cousin Mandeep Sandhu to lie about the origins of $35,000 in cash that police had seized from Mr. Sandhu's house.

That investigation helped set the stage for the Dec. 28, 2003, raids on the provincial legislature that resulted in corruption charges against bureaucrats Dave Basi, Bob Virk and Aneal Basi. Constable Dosanjh, who had been suspended since the charges were laid almost four years ago, resigned his position Oct. 2. {Snip} ...

http://www.theglobea...il.com/servlet/ ... y/National

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# posted by BC Mary @ 5:38 PM
Comments:
Mary, you might add that David Mulroney ran as a Federal Liberal in the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding in 2004. Managing his campaign was Jamie Elmhirst. Mulroney would later run for the Federal Liberals in Victoria in 2006. Mulroney supported Stephane Dion in the Liberal leadership race.

In 1995, even though he had little drug prosecution experience, Mulroney's law firm was awarded federal drug prosecution. At this time Mulroney was vice president of MP David Anderson's constituency association. Between 1996 and 2004, his firm billed the federal government $5.26 million dollars for its services.

source:
[url="http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/2004_05.html"]http://www.publiceyeonline.com/archives/2004_05.html
# posted by Anonymous : October 12, 2007 7:48 PM

Maybe David Basi is David Mulroney's anonymous client!

None of the major newspapers mentioned the link to Ian Thow and the rides on the "corporate jet" or fundraising activities either.
# posted by Anonymous : October 13, 2007 9:56 AM

I don't think the anonymous client would be Basi. Basi already has a lawyer in Michael Bolton.
# posted by Anonymous : October 13, 2007 11:31 AM

The reference to Basi was tongue in cheek! Mulroney keeps coming up as he does a lot of pro bono / discounted work in politically charged cases. Keeps his name in the newspapers as he positions for political work down the road. I wouldn't read too much else into that.

The police chief was also Lowe's hand picked acting city administrator which raised many eyebrows at the time. Potential for conflict of interest as he did two jobs once.

This is going to be a very interesting story to follow. My suspicion is that a number of former "characters" are going to come back into th spotlight.

The break in at the law offices last night brings back memories of Watergate!
# posted by Anonymous : October 13, 2007 12:10 PM

.
Watergate, Anon 12:10? I'm getting nunna nunna twilight zone vibrations from a source much, much closer to home!

I think the lawyer's name was Bruce Torrie whose home in Victoria was burgled -- no valuables taken, only files.

He had, you see, been acting as counsel to the Liberal Party in the early days of 2004. He got home from such a meeting in Vancouver on that occasion, to find that his house had been burgled. Some angry, he was, and who could blame him.

It'll take me a while to re-discover the information which he wrote up himself. It included the police file number and all, inviting people to phone in if they had any tips.

But all went quiet. You know. The Legislature Syndrome.

Back later. And yes, this is going to be a very interesting file to follow.

.
# posted by BC Mary : October 13, 2007 12:34 PM

.
If we're playing Pin the Tail on the Donkey here, I'll take a stab at it.

My guess is that David Mulroney's client is some disgruntled person from inside the Victoria police ranks.

Someone like Rob Dosanjh who had that long, long chat with the Police Chief the day Rob finally resigned from the Victoria Police Force. What took them so long??

I wondered, at the time, how many hours could it possibly take to say "Well, Rob, we'll be sorry to see you go, but best of luck etc etc."

So there was a debate? a disagreement? maybe an argument? and it ends up in the Heenan Blakie office of David Mulroney. Pro Bono, maybe?

But the real question is: who broke into that office after that?

And why?

Victoria is such a SMALL town, socially speaking. How come they haven't figured out already who the real jackass is?

.
# posted by BC Mary : October 13, 2007 3:01 PM

Since we are speculating...

Mulroney isn't a very good lawyer but he isn't an idiot and is politically astute. He isn't going to waste his time chasing after a polce chief over a disgruntled ex-employee and then leaking the docs to the press.

I think that Mulroney has some explosive documents that he either received from an insider in the police or the city but he has to go through the FOI process to prevent revealing the source of the documents or how he got them.

I don't think at the chief is the real target. Lowe is hated by the business community who felt they put him in power only to have him waste his time on social issues! The chief has other associates as well who are owed a "favour".
# posted by Anonymous : October 13, 2007 5:25 PM.

So who might have broken into his office?

Just speculating, of course.


Since then, she updated with this:

Saturday, October 13, 2007

[url=http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/2007/10/remember-bruce-torrie-lawyer-break-in.html:beb7f]Remember Bruce Torrie? The lawyer? The break-in? In Victoria?[/url:beb7f]
.

Bruce Torrie, a Victoria lawyer and a former legal counsel to the Liberals who has been briefing high mucky mucks in that party about the possible infiltration of the Liberal Party of Canada by organized crime. It would seem someone got nervous and did a professional burglary job of his home. What does Torrie think? "I think organized crime was trying to find out what I know about their activities within the Liberal Party of Canada."

- from Reflections on Canadian Politics, 13 February 2004.

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Victoria Independent Media Center

DID BASI'S BOYS BURGLE BRUCE TORRIE'S VICTORIA HOME?
by Alan Rycroft and Bruce Torrie, via CCC
Friday February 06, 2004 NEWS RELEASE

Liberal Lawyer's House Burglary Follows Briefings on Organized Crime

VANCOUVER -- The Victoria home of Bruce Torrie was burgled last weekend, three weeks after he began briefing high-placed Liberals about the possible infiltration of the Liberal Party of Canada by organized crime.

Bruce Torrie is the former Legal Counsel to the Liberal Party of Canada (B. C.) and the Liberal Party of B.C., as well as the former President of the Vancouver Centre Provincial Liberal Riding Association, and the former Policy Chair of the LIberal Party of B.C.

"Police tell me that this was the work of professionals, who cut phone lines to disable the alarm system," said Torrie. "They left almost everything of real value, taking only three large jars of pocket change and a few other items. They found two secret hiding places in my home that I didn't even know existed, and turned my house upside down apparently looking for information."

Torrie has been briefing high-placed Liberal Party officials and activists from his Vancouver home since January 9, and believes the burglary is related to his briefings.

"After the RCMP raid on the B. C. Legislature, it's no secret that police are investigating organized crime at the highest levels of Canadian society," said Torrie. "I think organized crime was trying to find out what I know about their activities within the Liberal Party of Canada."

Torrie believes that there are two crime rings fighting for control within the LIberal Party of Canada, and that several prominent politicians and party functionaries are "patsies or proxies for organized crime."

Information:
[url="http://www.brucetorrie.ca"]http://www.brucetorrie.ca
Bruce Torrie, 604. 685 0222
RCMP, 250 474. 2264 (file no. 20041551)

The burglary is being investigated by the RCMP. Media outlets wishing to gain access to the crime scene in Victoria are asked to schedule an appointment through Bruce Torrie. [End of quote]

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Whew. I pick myself up off the floor and think: Yes, these are the things we're expected to forget given enough sensory deprivation. Sorry. I don't want to sound mean or negative. But there are moments -- and this is one of them -- when it's time to ask if the public interest has been properly defended. Or has B.C. with its multi-billion-dollar black market developed a climate in which crime could run rampant? - BC Mary.


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#13 obscurantist

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Posted 14 October 2007 - 11:28 AM

On a bit of a tangent, I remember hearing a few years back that Battershill had been courted by the NDP to run provincially or maybe federally (or maybe even locally, for mayor), but declined, saying that he didn't have any plans to leave his job as chief at that point or to get involved in electoral politics. Does anyone recall anything about that?

#14 Caramia

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Posted 15 October 2007 - 12:18 PM

The break-in was really weird. It doesn't make sense for it to be the police who did it - because it happened to the lawyers working for the police, not to the lawyers attacking them.

I used to have a fairly massive grudge against the police because as a teenager I saw too many abuses of power. But Paul Battershill I actually respect, and trust - which is really saying a lot considering my bias. This seems like a smear - and I wonder who is behind it - Someone who doesn't mind going 'fishing' for sensitive documents - anything that could hurt his enemy. Someone who doesn't mind conducting a break-in to his enemy's lawyer's office? Whoever it is, is going for the jugular and may end up depriving us of one of the best police chiefs this city has ever seen.
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#15 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 October 2007 - 12:24 PM

On a bit of a tangent, I remember hearing a few years back that Battershill had been courted by the NDP to run provincially or maybe federally (or maybe even locally, for mayor), but declined, saying that he didn't have any plans to leave his job as chief at that point or to get involved in electoral politics. Does anyone recall anything about that?


There is no doubt he is an NDP supporter, and yes, I remember something along the lines of what you say.
<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#16 Ms. B. Havin

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Posted 15 October 2007 - 01:06 PM

The break-in was really weird. It doesn't make sense for it to be the police who did it - because it happened to the lawyers working for the police, not to the lawyers attacking them.


The other thing that's really weird is that Heenan Blaikie is a law firm renowned for its Liberal connections -- Pierre Trudeau worked for them, Jean Chretien now works for them, the list goes on and on. David Mulroney is a Liberal, yet Battershill has NDP leanings -- but is a client of Heenan Blaikie? After learning more about this law firm, I thought for sure that Louise Dickson must have gotten it wrong in her article, but so far that story stands. Lots of twists and turns, maybe signifying nothing.

Speaking of nothing, I don't like how this issue is a "nothing" on the news. You'd think there'd be a bit more coverage...? Investigative journalism? Questions? It's a big deal, yet it's as though it never happened. I want to know the truth, and I want the press and the police to try to get to the bottom of this.
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#17 Holden West

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Posted 15 October 2007 - 01:30 PM

Victoria Police Board
July 4, 2006 / Public Session
Page 7

Access to External Specialists: The Police Board has access to several legal
specialists who can provide guidance and legal advice on complex decisions. For
general legal advice, the Board has access to the law firm retained by the City of Victoria
- Staples, McDannold and Stewart. For labour law concerns, the Board has access to Ms
[url=http://www.heenanblaikie.com/en/ourTeam/bio?id=1552:78d5d]Marli Rusen[/url:78d5d] of the law firm [url=http://www.heenanblaikie.com/en/home/victoria?id=12:78d5d]Heenan / Blaikie[/url:78d5d]
. When issues arise that focus on risk
management in a police environment, the Board has access to the firm of Ceyssons and
Bauchman.


"Beaver, ahoy!""The bridge is like a magnet, attracting both pedestrians and over 30,000 vehicles daily who enjoy the views of Victoria's harbour. The skyline may change, but "Big Blue" as some call it, will always be there."
-City of Victoria website, 2009

#18 VicHockeyFan

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Posted 15 October 2007 - 01:30 PM

The break-in was really weird. It doesn't make sense for it to be the police who did it - because it happened to the lawyers working for the police, not to the lawyers attacking them.


The other thing that's really weird is that Heenan Blaikie is a law firm renowned for its Liberal connections -- Pierre Trudeau worked for them, Jean Chretien now works for them, the list goes on and on. David Mulroney is a Liberal, yet Battershill has NDP leanings -- but is a client of Heenan Blaikie? After learning more about this law firm, I thought for sure that Louise Dickson must have gotten it wrong in her article, but so far that story stands. Lots of twists and turns, maybe signifying nothing.

Speaking of nothing, I don't like how this issue is a "nothing" on the news. You'd think there'd be a bit more coverage...? Investigative journalism? Questions? It's a big deal, yet it's as though it never happened. I want to know the truth, and I want the press and the police to try to get to the bottom of this.


The problem is that most of the press is friends with the police. ie. Cops For Cancer and other stuff that makes them real cosy.
<p><span style="font-size:12px;"><em><span style="color:rgb(40,40,40);font-family:helvetica, arial, sans-serif;">"I don’t need a middle person in my pizza slice transaction" <strong>- zoomer, April 17, 2018</strong></span></em></span>

#19 G-Man

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Posted 15 October 2007 - 04:14 PM

The break-in was really weird. It doesn't make sense for it to be the police who did it - because it happened to the lawyers working for the police, not to the lawyers attacking them.


The other thing that's really weird is that Heenan Blaikie is a law firm renowned for its Liberal connections -- Pierre Trudeau worked for them, Jean Chretien now works for them, the list goes on and on. David Mulroney is a Liberal, yet Battershill has NDP leanings -- but is a client of Heenan Blaikie? After learning more about this law firm, I thought for sure that Louise Dickson must have gotten it wrong in her article, but so far that story stands. Lots of twists and turns, maybe signifying nothing.

Speaking of nothing, I don't like how this issue is a "nothing" on the news. You'd think there'd be a bit more coverage...? Investigative journalism? Questions? It's a big deal, yet it's as though it never happened. I want to know the truth, and I want the press and the police to try to get to the bottom of this.


Federal Liberals and Provincial Liberals are about as different as can be. The federal liberal are way closer to being BC NDP than liberal. I mean our last NDP Premier is now a federal liberal.

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#20 Holden West

Holden West

    Va va voom!

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Posted 16 October 2007 - 07:26 PM

Hmm...[url=http://www.canada.com/victoriatimescolonist/news/story.html?id=71837a87-22f4-48ae-9eab-2e8963fc6f8c&k=41786:1d555]this makes it appear[/url:1d555] it was a regular robbery.

Saanich police Sgt. John Price released more details Tuesday on the break-in at Heenan Blaikie, the law firm hired by Battershill to challenge Freedom of Information requests about his expense accounts and police employees dismissed without cause.

The burglary took place Thursday at 11:45 p.m. when suspects entered St. Andrew's Square and made their way to the View Street tower.

At first, they tried unsuccessfully to break into another office on the third floor of the building. Then they made their way to the fifth floor and forced their way into Heenan Blaikie.

One of the firm's employees discovered the break-in Friday at 5:30 a.m. and called police.

Price would not comment on whether police believe the law firm was targeted.

"Although the investigation is still ongoing, there's nothing to indicate it was anything more than a common break-and-enter by people who figured out how to get into the building."

According to Price, the firm reported that no Victoria police files, electronic or otherwise, were stolen. However, a laptop computer, an iPod, coins and the cash float were taken.

Although the firm is within Victoria's jurisdiction, senior police management decided to have the break-in investigated by Saanich police in the interests of transparency and to avoid any conflict of interest, Acting Chief Bill Naughton said Monday.

ldickson@tc.canwest.com


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